Collaboration #3 Stingo was brewed using traditional English ingredients. A variety of ale and specialty malts from Yorkshire are at the forefront; their pronounced roasty aroma and flavor contain hints of toffee, cocoa and bread crust. English hop varieties contribute subtle herbal, peppery qualities. The beer was brewed in batches; some was fermented on oak, some was fermented normally, and some was allowed to sour in the mash tun before being transferred to a fermenter. Boulevard’s brewers, along with Dann and Martha Paquette of Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project, then blended the batches until desired levels of wood and tartness were achieved for the final product.

Overall: A very English style tasting beer. Complex. This almost tastes like a winter warmer out of season. Tobacco and toffee play very strong here. Interesting, not sure if I would get it again, but worth a try.

Has a chocolate and prune nose that suggests a dark, moist freak fruit cake. It pours barely translucent chestnut to mahogany under a 2” light foam cap that slowly dissipates. This has an intensely creamy, foamy palate with chocolate, prune, dried fruit, sherry, and treacle with a very light funk. It is very effervescent – almost like eating a foam or very light mousse. It becomes more creamy as it settles down and a slight alcohol warming becomes more apparent. Boulevard should brew more of this.

My neighbor, bless his soul, bought a bottle of Stingo over from downstate IL. The beer pour a dark cloudy brown with red hue. The head is a off white bubbly head that is not leaving much lace. The smell has malt and good earthy tones. The taste is big...and strong. There is a prevalent malt base and hints whiskey sweet mash. There is also a healthy bitterness which perhaps is why it's named Stingo. The mouthfeel is a full body beer with big carbonation. Overall it's a big beer to sip....not to session.

Pours a rich, dark brown. Almost thick looking. There's some lighter red notes to keep it from getting too dark, but no light is making its way through. The head is relatively thin and lacks much retention.

The bottle talks about complexity and it starts with the smell. It's got the malty backbone that allows brewers to do a lot with it, and they've done plenty with this. In addition to some darker, malty scents, there's the fruity esters of dark, ripe fruits. From time to time, it seemed I could pick up a faint smokiness. On top of all that, there's the alcohol. It's not overpowering, just enough to let you know it's there.

While there was little in the way of a head, there's plenty of carbonation, so much so that it masks some of the flavors. The alcohol is a bit stronger than the smell. The fruitiness is present. Pretty malty with a cola-like caramel taste.

Like I said earlier, there is an abundance of carbonation. Combined with alcohol and some acid and it really keeps your tongue guessing. Slight tartness. Initially a heavy feel, but the carbonation balances it well. Dry finish.

It's a good beer and a collaboration that neither side should be ashamed of. That said, it's not world class. Maybe a little more aging would give all facets of the beer additional time to meld, but right now, there's a sharpness to it. If the edges could be dulled a bit, it would be even better.

Taste - Similar to the nose initially. Lots of plums and cherry. Some faint acidity. Caramel in the middle, but gives way to a bunch of oak in the back. Some darker malts prevail as well, lending a bit of chocolate.